Photographic camera construction



Nov. 14, 1933.

R. S. HOPKINS PHOTOGRAPHI C CAMERA CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 29,1928 FIG].

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Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERACONSTRUCTION Original application December 29, 1928, Serial Divided andthis application June 23, 1933.. Serial No. 677,259

8 Claims.

This invention relates to photography and. more particularly to aphotographic camera and magazine construction. One object of myinvention is to provide a magazine which may be quickly and easily amxedto a camera in an operative position. Another object is to provide amagazine guide and positioning device on which the magazine may slidetowards a support. Another object of my invention is to provide amagazine with a short length of film exposed on one side thereof andarranged so that by moving the magazine up against a support the filmwill contact with a film-driving roller on the support, thus eliminatingall threading of the film through various guideways and sprockets.Another object of my invention is to provide movable parts on a magazineposition so that movable parts on the support will automatically come incontact when the magazine has been moved to an operative position.Another object of my invention is to provide a resilient magazine clampwhich constantly presses a magazine against a support when the magazineis in an operative position. Another object of my invention is toprovide a series of resiliently mounted rollers adapted to hold filmupon the driving roller and adapted to hold film flat over an exposureframe when the magazine is in an operative position. Still anotherobject of my invention is to provide a support with a film-moving deviceand an exposure frame in front of which there is an objective andshutter, both the film-moving device and the exposure frame projectingfrom a support in position to be contacted with a film carried by amagazine, and other objects will appear from the followingspecification, the novel features being particularly pointed out in theclaims at the end thereof.

The camera and magazine construction described in this specificationwere primarily designed for a recording machine of the type disclosed inmy Patent No. 1,900,878 dated March '7, 1933, which is suitable formachines for producing photographic records of documents, althoughobviously certain features of the present invention are also equallysuitable for other types of cameras.

This application is a division of my copending application forphotographic camera and magazine construction, Serial No. 329,144, filedDec. 29, 1928.

Coming now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote likeparts throughout,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, showing a support anda camera magazine moved partially into its operative position, thesupport and magazine illustrating a preferred embodiment of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a double magazine open as for loading, themagazine being similar to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the magazineholding clamp whichresiliently presses the magazine into a seat formed for the magazine inthe support;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the clamp on line4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of a doublemagazine, such as shown in Fig. l, a film being carried by one side onlyof the magazine;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of thefilm-holding structure of the magazine and of the parts with which thefilm contacts on the support; and

Fig. '7 is an. enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the frictionfilm-driving roller, the position of films driven thereby beingindicated.

In recording machines such as are used in banks for making photographicrecords of checks and other documents, it is necessary to provide asimple loading device by which film may be positioned for exposurequickly and with the minimum efifort.

In Fig. 1 the magazine broadly designated as 1 may be readily positionedon the support 2 which may form a rear wall of a photographing camera.The support 2 is provided with a main guiding post 3 and a supplementarypositioning post 4, post 3 projecting a considerable distance from thesupport and post 4 only projecting a short distance therefrom.

As shown in Fig. 2, one side 5 of the magazine is hinged to a secondside 6 at 7 For a double magazine as shown, two of these sides areprovided, but if a single magazine is to be used, a cover may besubstituted for the side 6.

One side of the magazine 5 may be provided with a pair of tubularmembers 7 and 8 of such size that they will slide freely over the posts3 and 4. In order to position the magazine on the support, it is onlynecessary to enter the post 3 in the tube or opening '7 and slide themagazine in the direction shown by the arrow, Fig. 1, upon the trackwhich is formed by the post 3. As the magazine nears its operativeposition, the beveled edge 9 of the positioning post 4 enters thetubular member 8 and accurately locates the magazine on its support.

In order to hold the magazine in an operative position, a resilientclamp is used, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This clamp consists of a clamparm 10 which is an extension from a bifurcated arm 11 which is providedwith open slots 12 adapted to engage a pin 13 passing through a lug 14carried by the support 2. Inside of the bifurcated arms 11 there is aU-shaped member, the arms of which 15 are likewise provided with slots16 engaging pin 13. A cross bar 17 unites these two sides and apertures18 closely engage the sides of a pin 19 which also passes through slots20 in the arms 11.

Both of the members above described may, therefore, slide freely uponpin 13 and the arms 11 may slide about pin 19, whereas the arms 18 carrythe pin rigidly. A spring 20 connects the cross bar 17 with the pin 13so that there is a constant tendency to draw pin 19 towards the support2.

The pin 19 is also rigidly held by means of a post 21 through which thepin 19 passes, this post forming a portion of a handle 22 which isserrated at 23 to facilitate operating. Handle 22 is pivoted at 24 to alink 25 which in turn is pivoted at 26 to a part of the support 2.

Thus by moving the handle 23 from the brokenlined position, Fig. 3, tothat shown in full lines in the same figure, the clamping bar 10 willengage the back wall 27 of the magazine and the spring 20 will exert aconstant pull upon the post 19 and will, by engaging the end of slot 20,draw in upon the clamping bar 10 so as to resiliently hold the magazinein a seat 28 formed for it in the support 2. The seat 28 is providedwith a cut-out 29 having the useful function of acting as a light stopin case a single magazine is employed, since a similar shaped hinge may,of course, be used for a single magazine cover.

Referring to Fig. 2, the magazine itself may consist of a box-dikereceptacle 30 in which a pair of film reels 31 may be mounted on postsof any standard type upon which they may be held by clamping bars 32,which may be fastened at 33 to a block 34 carried on the rear wall 27 ofthe magazine. From the lower film reel the film indicated in brokenlines at F may be led past a lightstopping guide 35 over a roller 36straight upwardly over a second roller 37 past a second light-stoppingguide 38 and thence to the upper roller 31.

On the lower roller there is preferably provided an arm 39 having aroller 40 adapted to lie in contact with the convolution of film andbeing supported by a shaft 41. Shaft 41, as indicated in Fig. 1, extendsthrough the walls of the magazine and terminates in a plate 42 and anindicating arm 43, the latter operating over a scale 44 on the outsideof the magazine to show the amount of film in the magazine.

The arms 39 are spring-pressed in the direction shown by arrows, onlythe end of the spring 45 showing in Fig. 2. The plate 42 is of irregularshape and is adapted to contact with an automatic machine control whichis shown in my Patent 1,897,903.

As thus far described, both sides 5 and 6 of the double magazine areexactly alike. One side, however, must be provided with afilm-positioning device and if the magazine is a single one, this devicewill lie wholly within the box-like structure on one side. But if it isa double one, as shown in Fig. 5, the positioning roller, while attachedto only one side, will extend across both sides, as will be hereinaftermore fully described.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, a small box-like structure 46 extendsupwardly from wall 47 of the magazine and this box-like structure isprovided with a wall 48 dividing it into two sections 49 and 50. Insection 49 there are a pair of rollers 51 mounted on shafts 52positioned radially of a frictional film-driving roller 53. Shafts 52are carried by side walls 54 of a U-shaped member, these side wallspassing through slots 55 in the partition 48. A rear wall 56 connectsthe side walls 54.

As shown best in Fig. 6, in the rear chamber 50 there are a pair ofspring fingers 57 which press the rear wall 56 in the direction shown bythe arrows. These springs form a type of universal joint which permitsconsiderable movement of the carriage for the rollers 51 which is formedby the side walls 54 and the rear wall 56.

Thus, as the magazine is moved toward its support, the rollers 51 arepermitted sufficient movement to seat themselves against the frictionaldriving roller 53 and to press a film firmly thereon.

A second set of rollers 58 are carried by shafts 59, which are supportedon a carriage 60, the side arms of which 61 pass through slots 62 andthe rear wall of which 63 is pressed by a spring arm 64 in the directionshown by arrow. This set of rollers is adapted to press a film F fiatagainst an exposure frame 65.

This frame is merely a fiat plate in which there is a window 66 throughwhich an exposure may be made and it is fastened to a block 67 which isinserted in or which may form a part of the support 2. This block isapertured and the front part of the aperture is threaded, as indicatedat 68. An objective 69 is carried by a cell 70 which is screwed into thethreaded aperture. Thus the block constitutes a small camera when themagazine is in place and a film F is pressed over the exposure aperture66.

In front of the objective there is a shutter formed of an apertured disc71, but since this type of shutter is well known in the photographicart, it will not be further described. The shutter lies close to alight-protecting plate 72 which is apertured at 73 to permit an image tobe photographed therethrough.

As shown in Fig. 5, the rollers 51 and 58 extend across the front ofapertures 74 cut in the front walls 28 of the magazine sections 5 and 6,which are hinged together at 7. If desired, a post 75 may be placed onthe partition wall 48 so as to keep the films F from riding over. Asalso shown in Fig. 5, the rollers 51 and 58 are preferably divided intotwo parts on a central line 76, these two parts being both mounted on asingle shaft.

The reason for this is that it permits two films to be threaded moreeasily. I prefer to make the rollers 51 and 58 of an especially treatedwood which is smooth and which does not require lubrication, and Iprefer to make the friction-driving roller 53 of rubber.

As shown in Fig. 7, I prefer to make the periphery of the roller in theform of three ridges 01' projections 77, 78 and 79, leaving portions ofsmaller diameter 80 and 81 between these ridges thus roller 53 has arelieved periphery. This permits the friction roller to contact withonly the edges of the film f and leaves the sensitive picture area Pfree from contact with the driving roller, so that no part of thesurface used for making a photograph comes in contact with the frictiondrive.

Since the rollers 59 contact across the entire width of a film 50 heldagainst the exposure frame 65, the film is prevented from buckling andis held fiat in the focal plane of the objective 69.

In order to wind the film on a take-up roller which is the upper roller,as viewed in Fig. 2, a shaft 83 is provided with a four-sided portion84, as indicated in Fig. 1, this portion engaging a square aperture in aflange oi the film reel 31 in a well known manner. Afflxed to shaft 83is a ratchet wheel 85, this wheel turning in a cell 86 in which there ismounted a pawl 87 which prevents the spool from being turned in onedirection.

Ratchet wheel 86 has aifixed thereto a flange 88 and this flange may beengaged by a driving pin 89 carried by a pulley 90 mounted to turn upona shaft 91 and which may be operated by a spring belt 92, which may bedriven by any suitable source of power.

It will be evident that when the magazine 1, as indicated in Fig. 1, isguided into its seat upon the track 3, that the flange 88 will lie inthe path of the driving pin 89, since the shafts 83 and 91 are coaxialwhen the magazine is in its operative position. When the machine starts,therefore, pin 89 will be brought into engagement with flange 88 andwill turn the take-up spool.

Should the flange 88 contact with the pin 89 as the magazine is loaded,the pin will be thrust to one side as some movement is permitted due tothe pulley 90, which may be slipped relative to the belt 92, since thisbelt is comparatively loose. The size of the pulley and power drive isarranged so that the spool 31 will always tend to move slightly fasterthan film can be taken up. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange thebelt 92 with a certain slippage which will compensate satisfactorily forthe varying diameter of the take-up roll.

It should be especially noticed with the construction above describedthat it is only necessary to enter the post 3 in aperture 7 and slidethe magazine into its seat 28, after which handle 23 may be moved toresiliently clamp the magazine in place. This action not only positionsthe magazine, but it stretches the film resiliently about the frictionfilm drive 53 and also presses the film fiat against the exposure window6'7. The take-up film spool drive is also automatically positioned bythis movement so that the driving flange 88 lies in the path of thedriving pin 89. Thus the single operation of positioning the magazineequips the camera for taking pictures.

What I claim as new and. desire to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A film camera, designed for use with an interchangeable film cassettehaving an opening through which the film contained therein is adapted tobe exposed, said camera comprising an objective, a shutter, and anexposure frame permanently located behind the objective in the field ofthe objective, the exposure frame being so dimensioned and shaped withreference to the cassette that it is adapted to extend into said openingin the cassette and to contact with film carried inside of the cassettewhen the cassette is carried by the camera.

2. A film camera, designed for use with an interchangeable film cassettehaving an opening through which the film contained therein is adapted tobe exposed, said camera comprising an objective, a shutter, and anexposure frame permanently located behind the objective in the fieldthereof, means carried by the camera for positioning a cassette behindthe objective, the

exposure frame of said camera being so dimensioned and shaped withreference to the opening in the cassette that it is adapted to extendthrough said opening and to contact with film contained in said cassettewhen said cassette is 89 positioned by the camera behind the objective.

3. A film camera, designed for use with an interchangeable cassettehaving an opening through which the film contained therein is adapted tobe exposed, said cassettealso including parts adapted to engage saidcamera, said camera comprising an objective, a shutter, an exposureframe permanently located behind the objective I and in the field of theobjective, means carried by the camera and adapted to be engaged .byparts of said cassette for guiding said cassette into an operativeposition behind said objective, the exposure frame of said camera beingso dimensioned and shaped with reference to the cassette opening that itis adapted to extend into said opening in the cassette and to contactwith film carried by the cassette when the cassette is guided into anoperative position behind said objective.

4. In a film camera, designed for use with an interchangeable filmcassette having an opening through which the film contained therein isadapted to be exposed, said camera comprising an objective, a shutter,and an exposure frame permanently located behind the objective and inthe field thereof, means carried by the camera adapted to cooperate withsaid cassette and to guide said cassette into an operative positionbehind the objective, a latch carried by the camera adapted to hold saidcassette in said operative position, the exposure frame of said camerabeing so dimensioned and shaped with reference to the cassette openingthat it is adapted to extend into said opening in the cassette andcontact with film therein when said cassette is latched in an operativeposition relative to said camera.

5. A film camera, designed for use with an interchangeable film cassettehaving an opening through which the film contained therein is adapted tobe exposed, said camera comprising an objective, a shutter, and anexposure frame permanently located behind the objective in the field ofthe objective, a resilient clamping device carried by the camera andadapted to press a cassette into an operative relation with said camera,the exposure frame of said camera being so dimensioned and shaped withreference to the cassette opening that it is adapted to extend into saidopening in said cassette and contact with film therein when saidcassette is resiliently pressed intoan operative relation with saidcamera.

6. A film camera, designed for use with an interchangeable film cassettehaving an opening through which the film contained therein is adapted tobe exposed, said camera comprising an objective, a shutter, an exposureframe perma- 135 nently located behind the objective in the field of theobjective, a slideway adapted to receive said cassette on which saidcassette may slide axially of said objective, the exposure frame of saidcamera being'so dimensioned and positioned 140 with reference to saidslideway and to the cassette opening that it is adapted to extend intothe opening in the cassette and contact with film therein when saidcassette is moved through the camera slideway into an operative positionwith respect 5 to the camera.

7. A film camera for an interchangeable cassette having an opening in awall thereof through which the film contained therein is adapted to beexposed, said camera including a wall, an objective 15 oarried by thewall, a rearward extension carried by the wall behind said objective, anexposure frame carried by said rearward extension in fixed relation tosaid objective, a shutter carried by the camera and adapted to admit andexclude light from passing through said objective to said exposureframe, the exposure frame being adapted to extend into said cassetteopening and to locate therein the focal plane of the objective.

8. A film camera for an interchangeable cassette having an opening in awall thereof through which the film contained therein is adapted to beexposed, said camera including a Wall, an objec-

